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Snow days make for the perfect days to tackle the "To Do List" that you have been ignoring for long periods of time. It is good to hunker down with lots of coffee and get it done. Even though my taxes are staring straight at me as I work away, I am still going to ignore that task and instead talk about FOOD! Food is fun...Food is good...And food fuels this lifestyle! This weeks obsession is SALADS. Instead of consuming all the sweet potatoes, I have been eating lots of BIG, flavorful, and nourishing salads for lunch and with dinner. It is all about that crunch and using whatever leftovers are around to make these beautiful meals.

A couple of things you should know about my salad creations:

I always eat my lunch salads out of a Tupperware container...Why? Because I like to mix all the ingredients together...Shake it up...And then let it marinade for a little bit before I devour it!

I always add leftovers from the night before! Whatever is leftover from dinner or hanging out in the fridge goes into my salads. I hate wasting food!

LOTS of CRUNCH! I love texture and when it comes to my salads, the more crunch the better. It is just like my obession with crunchy nut butters!

Here is how I build my SALADS:

Protein: Chicken, tuna fish, salmon, fried eggs, or roasted chickpeas are my usual go tos! Adding a protein is a MUST when making a beautiful salad. Make sure that you are getting all the great benefits of proteins, because they are so important for our bodies, especially if you live a active lifestyle!

Fats: Diced avocado, leftover guacamole, goat cheese, or a heaping handful of mixed nuts are my favorites to add to a salad. Adding fats to your salads are key to helping you stay satiated.

Fruit: Pick one of your favorites and add it for some natural sweetness! As of lately, I like to dice up an opal apple for added crunch. Minneola and moro oranges are really good additions right now for that much-needed Vitamin C.

LOTS of Vegetables: Tomatoes, Carrots, Cucumber, Peppers, Red Onion, and a mix of greens are always in my salads. Sometimes I like to add roasted broccoli and cauliflower. You can never go wrong with adding any vegetable to a salad...so load it UP friends!

Dressing: Typically I do a balsamic and olive oil combo, but thanks to my friend PAM, she introduced me to Bolthouse Farms yogurt dressings and they are FABULOUS! A nice way to switch things up and try something new.

A photo posted by ACKtive Life (@acktivelife) on Feb 8, 2017 at 3:15pm PST

That is it my friends! Now go have fun and be creative with your salad creations and remember you can always keep it simple, healthy, nourishing, and FUN. Salads can be a side dish or a meal and are always a good decision. You just need to know how to build the right one to keep your belly happy and satisfied. Let me know how it goes! XOXO